Jerusalem has been the focus of hopes, dreams and prayers of the Jewish people around the world for three millennia. Now US-President Donald Trump has clearly pronounced, that the USA recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately reacted thankful and more than pleased.

The rationale that explains the popularity and longevity of fictional characters such as detective Columbo also helps predict election outcomes and forecast the likely winner in the race for the White House

Thirty years ago, on Monday, October 19, 1987, the US Stock market collapsed. Plunging more than 500 points, the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished the day down 23%, its greatest single day decline ever. Black Monday – as the day was quickly dubbed by financial journalists — was a significant and sobering event.

Power is a fundamental resource of human interaction. Be it on the political level or on the societal level: power shapes our relations. But the nation-state is no longer the only game in town. New powers are rising and the global power balance is reaching a tipping point.

I was in Hamburg on the day of the elections. I watched the results come in with a girlfriend on her television. She is a green voter appalled to see the high proportion of seats won by the AfD. It was hardly a surprise. The result was symbolic of the breakdown of the old style binary parliamentary structures of Western European democracies that have been around for a century.

Jean-Claude Juncker has given his final state-of-the-union-address to the EU-parliament. He said: “Either come together around a positive European agenda or each retreat into our own corners. Faced with this choice, I argued for unity.” The European hereby presents the full text of this speech.

“Today’s political and social conditions are highly unjust and therefore, we need to fight them with the greatest energy possible.” And: “Performance needs to be worthwhile again”. These are not quotations from the Social Democratic candidate for chancellor, Martin Schulz.

The historic opening of US-Cuban relations marks a major reversal of cold war era policies that maintained sanctions on undemocratic nations. Was it a misstep or long overdue, and will the US take a softer approach with rogue nations in the future?

Rock’n’Roll translated to rebellion and youth. Future and Freedom. It often meant freedom from the “establishment”, the conservative parents, the partially reactionary West-German society of the 1980s, writes Lia Maiello. David Gilmour, Iggy Pop, Joe Elliott, Jimi Hendrix, Debbie Harry, Kurt Cobain and David Bowie – those are the heroes of my youth!

Throughout spring 2016, the news coverage on war-torn Syria had been without doubt overwhelmingly dominated by the strong symbolic message sent by the Damascene regime by gaining ground against Islamic State as it recaptured the ancient city of Palmyra in the Syrian desert. Within the broader picture, the incident also provides valuable insight into a less tangible strategic enterprise of Russia.

Sixty years after the beginnings of the European idea, the EU is in trouble. Debt and currency crises have eroded confidence into the European project while member states remain hesitant to transfer power to Brussels. Yet historically, crisis has always resulted in further integration.

Populism is the current trending topic when one explains politics in Western countries. Though it is not a new concept, it is rising in Europe and it also managed to win hearts and minds of American people last year who chose Donald Trump to be the 45th president of the United States.

“The residents of the East German village Unterleuten didn’t read the papers, didn’t watch TV, didn’t use the World Wide Web. Politicians didn’t pay attention to Unterleuten – why would Unterleuten pay attention to politics? The village was missing stores, doctors, clergymen, the postal service, a pharmacy, as well as a school – it didn’t have sewerage either.” Juli Zeh hereby hits the bull’s eye.

Just over a week ago the UK’s latest Prime Minister was revealed. The leadership contest, sparked by the country’s vote to leave the EU and expected to last weeks, was over in just days. Is this a reflection of the UK’s political environment post Brexit? Matthew Amroliwala from the BBC reflects on covering the day David Cameron waved good bye and Theresa May embarked on her premiership.

We do not know whether Brexit will bring about more harm or benefit for Europe. It is a sad moment to see a great European country leaving the Union, and it also raises questions about the future of the UK as a mid-ranked European power and, indeed, as a united kingdom. The EU may come out of this turmoil institutionally strengthened, and its Eastern member states may be especially better off.

Great Britain and the EU are drifting apart. A majority of Britons now believes that EU membership has become a burden rather than a benefit. How much longer can the leadership at No.10 withstand the Eurosceptics?

Sitting in my favourite local café listening to Bob Dylans ‘It’s A Hard Rains Gonna Fall’ reminded me of the fundamental changes that have occurred since Great Britain had its first referendum on European membership. In the 70s there were no cafes serving ten different types of coffee to a clientele almost exclusively glued to laptop screens, running their businesses from flat white to cappuccino.

There have been fundamental changes that have occurred since Great Britain had its first referendum on European membership. In the 70s there were no cafes serving ten different types of coffee to a clientele almost exclusively glued to laptop screens, running their businesses from flat white to cappuccino.